By Staff
Bishop Edward Lyons Sr.
ATMORE - Mr. Bishop Edward Lyons Sr. passed away into eternal life on March 11, 2008 at his home after an extended illness. He was born on Feb. 7, 1929 in Conecuh County, one of eight children born to Fred and Hattie Baldwin Lyons.
Mr. Lyons was educated in the public schools of Conecuh County. A firm believer in hard work and education, traits he credited to his parents, Mr. Lyons continued his education at Alabama A&M University in Normal where he received his B.S. degree in Agriculture Education. Further study was completed at Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M University, where he received the Masters and A.A. degrees respectively.
His career as a distinguished educator began in Andalusia. Then after a two-year stint in the United States Army, serving one year in Seoul, Korea, Mr. Lyons moved to Atmore and was responsible for starting the first Vocational Agriculture Program at Escambia County Training School. He touched many young minds in his 30 plus years of teaching high school students and training teachers from Tuskegee and Alabama A&M universities.
Not one to accept the status quo, Mr. Lyons took on leadership roles in professional organizations. Among those affiliations was president of the Escambia County Teachers Association during the early years of its merger and vice president of the Southwest District Association for the Alabama Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association.
Serving his community was second nature for Mr. Lyons. He was the first black to be appointed to the Atmore Utility Board in June 1989, and served as its secretary treasurer from 1990 until 1995. He was a member of the West Escambia Chapter Red Cross Board of Directors, the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the Atmore Public Library Board for more than 20 years, and 23 years on the Escambia Educators Federal Credit Union. One highlight of his civic career was being chosen as Atmore’s Citizen of the Year in 2001.
He was a charter member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity at Alabama A&M, a Master Mason and a founding member of the Atmore Community Male Chorus.
His life will be cherished and remembered by his wife of 53 years, Mrs. Tessie Hall Lyons; a daughter, Felecia Drake of Huntsville; a son Bishop Lyons, Jr. (Renee) of Huntsville; his grandchildren who fondly called him “Papa” will remember his stories and guidance about life, they are Phillip and Bianca Drake and Cameron Lyons of Huntsville, Kyle Lyons of Hanceville and Stephen Hicks of Florence; one great granddaughter, Taylor Hicks of Huntsville; three sisters, Levornia (David) Peters and Lue Ella Mitchell of Castleberry, Learmia (George) Carson of New Jersey and Estella Truitt of Queens, N.Y.; two brothers, Samuel Lyons of Birmingham and Willie James Lyons of Castleberry; two sisters-in-laws, Velma Hawthorne of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and Mattie Mason of Cincinnati, Ohio; two brothers-in-laws, Leroy (Claudie Mae) Hall of Brewton and Fletcher Hall of Owassa; god children, DeMarius McCorvey of Montgomery, Rhonda McCorvey of Atmore, Charles McGinnis and his children, Jameisha, Kiara, Corelia and Jazmine of Atmore, Anne McGinnis a loving goddaughter awaits him in heaven; a devoted caregiver, Christine Marshall; special cousins Wilcia and Verbin Kemp and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
One sister, Mary L. Martin, preceded him in death.
Final services for Mr. Lyons will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, March 17, 2008 from the Greater Mt. Triumph Baptist Church. The body will lie instate one hour prior to funeral hour. Interment will follow in Fairview cemetery.
Mother Emma Daniels
ATMORE - Mother Emma Daniels, 93, of Atmore and a native of Evergreen died Saturday, March 1, 2008 at Atmore Community Hospital. She had attended school in the Conecuh County School System. She was a member of Pillar Ground and Truth Holiness Church in Atmore and was the mother of the Church. She was a domestic homemaker.
Her parents, John Hines and Evelyn Hines, and her husband Edmond Daniels preceded her in death.
She leaves to cherish her loving memories, one daughter, Dorothy (Richard) Johnson of Atmore; three sons, Clausell Hines, George (Erma) Moore and Charles Daniels of Atmore and a host of grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 8, 2008 at Pillar Ground and Truth Holiness Church in Atmore with Elder Archie McDougall officiating. Inhumation followed in the Fairview cemetery in Atmore.
Turner Funeral Chapel, LLC of Atmore directed the services.
Walter (Dank) Boykin
ATMORE - Mr. Walter (Dank) Boykin, 68, of Atmore died Thursday, March 13, 2008 at Mobile Infirmary Medical Center.
Christian Memorial Funeral Home of Atmore will be directing services.
George “Bubba” Thomas Catrett
BAY MINETTE - Mr. George “Bubba” Thomas Catrett, 55, of Bay Minette and a resident of Stockton died Sunday, March 9, 2008 at Mobile Infirmary Medical Center in Mobile. Mr. Catrett was a Stevedore Manager for Chipco Shipping.
His wife, Agnes “Vada” Catrett; his father, George W. Catrett and his mother, Mary Catrett Hall preceded him in death.
Survivors include, his children, Sonia Catrett (Curtis) Williams of Uriah, Scott (Amanda) Catrett of Rabun, Heather Catrett (Frankie) Fails of Walnut Hill, Fla., Lindsey Danielle Catrett of Stockton, Timothy Scott (Julianna) Alexander of Fairhope and William Walter (Lindsey) Alexander of Chicago, Ill.; 10 grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Jean Catrett, JoAnn Coleman, Elizabeth Sellers and Linda Jaye of Stockton, Julia Griffen of Stapleton, Alex Catrett of Belforest, James “Bubba” Hall of Rabun, Matilda Hall Donald of White House Fork and Brenda Stewart of Mobile.
The funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 14, 2008 at 2 p.m. at the Stockton First Baptist Church with the Rev. Glenn A. Whitfield, Jr. and Sister Helen Stewart officiating. Interment followed at Stockton Memorial cemetery. The family received friends from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Thursday, March 13, 2008 at the Stockton First Baptist Church. Active pallbearers were Dusty Armstrong, Nick Griffin, Ralph Keller, Mikey Jaye, B.W. Milstead and Kevin Stokes. Honorary pallbearers were Chip Sellers and Jason Reed.
Funeral arrangements were made by Norris Funeral Home.
Waman Davis
ATMORE - Bro. Waman Davis was born Dec. 24, 1915 in Monroe County to the late Enoch and Louisa Davis. He accepted Christ at an early age. He later moved to Atmore where he joined the Greater Mt. Triumph Baptist Church and upon moving to Flomaton he joined the Damascus Baptist Church where he served until his death.
He was untied in marriage to Mrs. Noble Lee Davis. His parents; brothers, R.C. Davis, Milton Davis; sister, Estella Carter and sons Charles Lawson and Donald Davis preceded him in death.
He leaves to cherish his loving memories his wife, Noble Lee Davis; two daughters, Lucille Lawson and Mable Bessent of Flomaton; three sons, Melvin Lawson of Fort Meyers, Fla., Waman Davis Jr. and Jerome Davis of Atmore.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15, 2008 at the Damascus Baptist Church with the Rev. Henry Hawkins officiating. Burial followed at Fairview cemetery in Atmore. Pallbearers and flower bearers were family and friends.
Christian Memorial Funeral Home of Atmore directed the services.
Willie Crenshaw
ATMORE - Mr. Willie Crenshaw, 48, of Atmore died Thursday, March 13, 2008 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla.
Services will be announced by Turner Funeral Chapel, LLC
Hubert Floyd Findley
FAIRHOPE – Hubert Floyd Findley, age 92, a native and resident of Alabama, passed away Monday, March 3, 2008.
Dr. Findley practiced veterinary medicine in Atmore and later worked for the United States Department of Agriculture.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Geraldine Sharpless Findley, of Fairhope.
Other survivors include Beth Hart and her husband William D. Hart, of Fairhope and Whitefish, Mont. and Julie Reilly and her husband, Michael A. Reilly, of Atlanta, Ga.
Dr. Findley had six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.
Arrangements were handled by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home and Creamatory, Inc.
Cleo Broughton Hardy
BREWTON - Mrs. Cleo Broughton Hardy, 86, of Brewton died Monday, March 11, 2008 at D.W. McMillan Hospital. She was a native of Monroeville and a graduate of the BIA School in Monroeville. She was retired with Brewton Iron Works. She was a member of Second St. Siloam Baptist Church where she was a member of the missionary society and a former member of the usher board and choir. Her husband, Claude Hardy and her parents, Clarence and Mary Broughton preceded her in death.
She leaves to cherish her loving memories, one daughter, Gwendolyn Lucas Dugger of Houston, Texas; two sons, Ira (Creola) Lucas, II of Birmingham and Eric S. Hardy of Nashville, Tenn.; one sister, Geneva Harris of St. Louis, Mo.; one brother, Walter H. (Mozella) Broughton of Brewton; four grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15, 2008 at the Second St. Siloam Baptist Church in Brewton with the Rev. Willie J. Blue, pastor, officiating. Interment was held in the Baptist Hill cemetery with Turner Funeral Chapel, LLC of Atmore directing.
Narvie Lee Johnson
ROCK ISLAND - Funeral services for Narvie Lee Johnson, 84, of Rock Island will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Orr’s Mortuary, 1326 4th Avenue in Rock Island with Pastor Wayne Johnson officiating. He departed this life on Tuesday at River Park Nursing Health Care. Burial will be at the National cemetery. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until service time Monday.
He was born Aug. 18, 1923 in Atmore the son of Andrew and Lela (Kings) Johnson. He retired from Caterpillar Tractor Company. He married Juanita V. Johnson in 1959 in New Haven, Conn. She preceded him in death. He served in the U.S. Army.
Memorial may be made to the Walter Johnson Family.
Preceding him in death were his parents; a daughter, Tonya M. Johnson; brother and spouse, Andrew Jr. and Warnell (Annice) Johnson.
Survivors include, daughters, Juanita Johnson of Waterbury, Conn. and Cynthia Johnson of Memphis, Tenn.; sons and spouses, Narvie of California, Alvin of Rock Island, Niles (Jessie) of California, Narvie Jr. (Diane) of Rock Island and Eric Johnson of Dixon, Ill.; sisters and spouses, Lillian Charles of Chicago, Delores (Cecil) Caldwell of Pensacola, Fla., Margo (Chester) Lyons of Atmore, Eunice (Clyde) Bowling of Pensacola, Fla.; brothers and spouses, Walter “Buck” (Johnnie Mae) of Rock Island and Ledell (Gloria) of Alabama; 25 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Turner Funeral Chapel, LLC of Atmore announcing services.
Alma B. Rushing
ATMORE - Alma B. Rushing, 93, of Atmore died Sunday, March 9, 2008 in Atmore.
She was a cutting supervisor for Vanity Fair Mills, born in Huxford on May 19, 1914 to the late James Henry and Francis Carter Brown Boone. Her husband, Chet Rushing preceded her in death.
Survivors include, two sons, C. Winston Rushing and wife Dorothy of Gainesville, Fla. and Charles A. Rushing of Brewton; two daughters, Nell Bryars and Mary Long both of Atmore; one brother, Rudie Boone of Saraland; five grandchildren, Kelly Coleman of Lubbock, Texas, Jason Long of Tallahassee, Fla., Bo Bryars of Stockton, Julie Fretwell of Atmore and Dawn Rushing-King of Washington D.C. and 13 great grandchildren.
Graveside services were held March 11, 2008 in Oak Hill cemetery. Family received friends from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of all arrangements.
Voncile Owens Taylor
ATMORE - Voncile Owens Taylor, 83, of Atmore died Monday, March 10, 2008 in Atmore.
She was a homemaker, born in Walnut Hill, Fla. on March 30, 1924 to the late Wilburn Lawrence and Maudie Mae Phillips Owens. Her husband, Martin Taylor, and a daughter, Doris Marie McLein preceded her in death.
Survivors include, one brother, Grover Thomas Owens of Covington, Ga.; numerous nieces and nephews; grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 2 p.m. in Oak Hill cemetery. Family received friends Thursday at Johnson-Quimby Funeral home one hour prior to graveside service.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc was in charge of all arrangements.
Amella Lee Watson
NEW YORK - Mrs. Amella Lee Watson, 75, of Westbury, N.Y. formerly of Atmore died Monday, March 11, 2008 at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, N.Y. She was a native of Atmore and had lived in New York for many years. She was a retired teacher’s aide with the Westbury School District.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at the Chapel of Remembrance of Turner Funeral Chapel with Bishop Willie L. Williams, officiating. Interment will follow in Stallworth cemetery.
Turner Funeral Chapel, LLC of Atmore directed the services.